Six Ways to Save Money While Shopping Green

According to the 2007 GfK Roper Green Gauge® Study, about 40 percent of Americans say they’d pay for a product that’s better for the environment. But at the same time, 74 percent of those surveyed say green products are too expensive. Hopefully, supply and demand will eventually bring down the price of eco-friendly goods. But in the meantime, how can green shoppers save a buck?

My business partner and I mulled over this question, scouring the Web to find a site for green giveaways and deals. We didn’t see one. So we made one.

At Ecobunga.com, you’ll find hundreds of green giveaways and deals—everything from sweepstakes for hybrid cars to coupons for organic foods. Here are a few thrifty tips we’ve picked up since launching our site:

How to Save Green

Sales: There are lots of green e-tailers with sales pages—everyone from big names like Gaiam to mom-and-pop sites.

Coupons: Coupons for organic foods are not nearly as common as they are for conventional grocery items. However, many organic dairy companies, such as Horizon and Stonyfield Farms, do offer coupons on their Web sites.

Bulk Discounts: Buying in bulk is one of the easiest ways to save money. Amazon.com offers lots of super-sized green goods—everything from ten packs of Seventh Generation paper towels to four packs of Ecos Laundry Detergent.

Free Shipping: With gas prices so high, free shipping deals offer a great value for folks who don’t live within easy driving distance to stores with green products.

How to Win Green

Sweepstakes: More and more companies are sponsoring sweepstakes for eco-friendly products. We caution you to review the prize description carefully to determine whether it is indeed eco-friendly. And green marketers, take note: the most popular giveaways we list on Ecobunga! are for hybrid cars, green home remodeling, eco-vacations, and anything kid-related.

Contests: A lot fewer people enter contests, where the winner is determined by “skill”—like the best essay, best video, etc. So your odds of winning a contest are generally a lot higher than winning a sweepstakes, where the winner is determined randomly.

We hope these tips help you save green and win green while you go green.

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